Ammolite
by harbingeraz
Summary: Michonne and Abbie were roommates in college for three years when she had to return home to Sleepy Hollow to face a destiny. Caught in the ZA, two friends are thrust back into one another's lives. Action, adventure, friend-ships. A Michonne and Abbie best buddy story, will have some romance, some violence, and some TWD elements.
1. Chapter 1

**Then: October 2007**

Music was blaring from one of the rooms in the small suite of their three room shared space. It couldn't have been the other roommate who practically lived in the library, so only one person was at it, again. Walking briskly towards the room, Abbie knocked twice. When no reply came, she knocked again.

"Michonne! I know you can hear me." Abbie yelled. On the other side of the door, Michonne was shaking her ass as the drill beat of Back That Azz Up pumped in the tiny cupboard of a room. The lofted twin bed rested to the right, with standard dorm wooden desk and large wooden chair pushed in. Michonne ignored the knocking while she searched for shoes to match her little red halter dress. When the door swung open with a flourish revealing her spitfire of a roommate in running shorts and a Georgetown t shirt, Michonne barely batted an eye. Abbie went to the CD player on Michonne's desk and turned the volume down, before giving her the death stare.

"What?" Michonne asked, still deciding between the beige wedges or the red pumps. "Where are you going tonight Ms. Independent?" Abbie asked, looking at her friends attire.

"New gallery opened up and the art department is taking us."

"You look like you're going to the club. You sure that" pointing to the short dress that left very little to the imagination "is appropriate for a school function?" Abbie asked as her friend collected her short locs in an attempt to pin them away from her face.

"This is sophisticated." the 19 year old remarked.

"You look like a ho." Abbie said with a smirk.

"And you look like you're missing softball practice. What can I say… I like to stand out." Michonne remarked, walking to her tiny closet to gather her makeup case.

"Why don't you come with me!" Michonne offered a few beats after Abbie had set up shop in the uncomfortable desk chair as she put eyeliner on.

"I have a midterm to finish." Abbie said, it wasn't a Friday, and she definitely knew that if she'd gone out with Michonne, they'd be in for a long night.

"Come on Gabby Abbie. You're in college! I know you put your wild ways behind you and are now living the life of sainthood, but please, let the beast out tonight." Michonne begged, jutting her bottom lip out and giving puppy dog eyes.

"Can't! Professor Mamat is kicking my ass, and I have to pass this class. I'll let the beast out on Friday, after I ace this stupid test." Abbie said, to which Michonne continued to beg and plead. With no budging from Abbie, Michonne left their dorm room and headed for the gallery. Abbie sat at her computer, working her fingers to the bone to complete her assignment. It was going to be a long semester.

 **Now: Run**

They had been walking for days. The car that Jenny had hotwired had ran out of gas about two miles outside of Temple Hill, Maryland. Now, they were traveling along 495, in the hopes of getting to DC by the end of the week. The highway was a mass of cars and walkers, and to avoid the cluster that was forming, they had taken to the woods. Abbie had her pack slug on both her shoulders as she tried to keep up with the swift footsteps of Ichabod. Jenny flanked in the back with her rifle in her hands and Andy trailing to her left. The four survivors had a plan, to get to the archives that some of Franklin's notes had alluded to. They hadn't thought that the apocalypse was going to be zombies. Abbie signed as they came to another fork in the road. They had to head West and North, that much was known. Breaking out of her thoughts the sound of shuffling feet took her out of her thoughts. More fucking biters. Abbie thought as the familiar moans of the undead rang through the air. They'd been surviving for the last two years in Sleepy Hollow, unsure of how the rest of the world was operating. After getting through one tribulation alone as a teenager fighting off Morloch, and subsequently losing Jenny to the system. The war seemed to be over now that humans had somehow managed to outdo the powers of the supernatural by creating an airborne virus that basically infected everyone, reanimating their bodies even after they had died and creating a yearning for flesh. Abbie was ready for more tribulations of the supernatural variety, she didn't think that they'd have to deal with human stupidity to usher in the end of the world as they knew it, that would basically undo everything her and Crane had been working for. She didn't know what the powers of the supernatural could provide in the way of ending all of this, but she had to try. Now, they were walking through Maryland with a mission at hand and not much hope.

"Run" Jenny whispered as the shuffling grew louder. Through the streets Abbie saw about 10 biters heading their way.

"RUN!" Jenny yelled as the 10 quickly became closer to 20 in the span of second. Not thinking of anything, Abbie began sprinting with Jenny on her heels. Ichabod and Andy running ahead towards the trees coming up to them. They didn't know where they were going, but knew that a herd that size wasn't survivable if they didn't get ahead. The stench of rotting corpses overwhelming their senses as they ran. The four continued to run down trails that were well maintained until they had covered some distance between them and the dead. Slowing a bit to catch their breath, they noticed a ranger's hut up the way.

"We gotta keep moving" Andy said between pants. He somehow was still wearing his Sheriff's shift, even though he hadn't been one of those in a long time. He'd told Abbie once while they camped out for the night that it reminded him that there was a way to do things, before. But before was long gone and Abbie had resigned herself to forget that sometimes.

Catching a flash of movement from her right, she saw a few of the biters headed towards them.

"I got it." Andy said, walking slowly towards the treat and taking them out quickly with a knife. Wiping the knife on his pants, he walked towards his friends.

"Lieutenant, it would be of the most prudence to find a residence for our companions to find soe respite for the the eve. As it appears, there appears to be a lodging two meters in distance." Crane noted as he pointed in the direction of the hut.

"We need to get farther away. Those things are not that far behind us and if we stop there, we'll be trapped for God know how long." Jenny said, finally catching her breath.

"Jenny's right. We have to keep going. It sounds like a river is close by. Let's head that way and we can make camp after it gets dark." Abbie said with finality.

The four continued on in component silence as the found the river. With the river to their right, they walked on until the sun began to set. Finding a clearing that provided some vantage on both sides, they lit a low fire to heat up some cans of soup. Sitting on a fel log, Abbie watched Jenny sitting contemplatively. Ichabod and Andy sat quietly eating in close proximity but not speaking to one another. Abbie thought about the decision to go to DC and wondered if she was making the right decision. It was too late at this point to second guess her decision so close to their destination, but they had to try.

"Lieutenant" Crane said, after a few moments, walking towards her and sitting on the log on her left.

"Crane." Abbie replied. She thought how strange it must be for him to have awaken into literal hell. In some ways he was far more prepared to survive this world since the niceties of the last two centuries had fallen away. It was like in the time he had left behind. Abbie wasn't as ready for this world, she'd lived through a lot of personal pain and discomfort but this, this was a nightmare.

"We shall venture forth the nex morrow and abscond another of those automobile machines and continue on with our journey. It shall be alright Abbie." he said, using her turn of phrase to describe the current circumstances.

"I hope so Crane. We have to make it to DC."

"We shall my dear Miss. We are with valiant comrades and will make haste to right the world." He said, before taking his place at the far end of the clearing, a handgun resting on his lap and a bowie knife on his hip. Abbie had offered to take first watch while everyone took a rest. She sat vigil on the log, listening for any sounds other than than the soft snores of Jenny and Crane mumbling. Andy woke moments later to relieve her. He watched as she thanked him before taking her spot on the ground near her sister. It was going to be a long way to Washington.

* * *

They had made it across the Potomac Harbor with the assistance of a dingy boat someone had left hidden under a pile of leaves. Crane had stumbled upon the boat which could hold hold three people. Taking turns, the four cross the river into Alexandra. They were heading north, in the hopes of getting to DC over the next two days. They'd made good time after the small herd getting as far away from them as possible. Abbie wasn't sure what they were walking into and she checked Franklin's journal a few times to be certain they were headed in the right had to find something to end this, somehow.

"We'll need to camp for the night." Abbie said watching Andy drag along. It'd been a rough couple days and they were running low on supplies. They'd turned into a town and found a store that was empty but for a few cans of creamed corn and some twinkies. It was getting harder to feel motivated, but they were getting closer. Everyone nodded walking silently through a neighborhood, looking for a suitable place. They'd taken down a few biters along their search and had come upon a gated house. Jenny picked the locks and they cleared out the place. They'd have to stay here for another day to rest up, and Abbie hoped they'd make it to DC. She was tired of the waiting. That night, everyone slept in the living room, while Crane and Jenny took watch for the night.

* * *

"Do you hear that?" Glenn asked as he loaded the rest of the supplies into the van. This was their third run this week. After Aiden and Noah had died two weeks ago, Glenn had taken over as the run lead. He was still hurting from Noah's death and Nicolas being a complete dumbass. Tara was still recovering, and Daryl was out scouting with Aaron. Rick had been in a fog recently and he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was planning something. Michonne and Rosita had agreed to come with him, and he trusted them more than all of the Alexandrians combined. They were children, and he wasn't sure how they'd managed to survive so long.

A snapped branch alerted them to the sounds of footsteps. Drawing his gun, Glenn waited for the threat to appear. Michonne and Rosita were still inside grabbing the last bags of supplies.

When he didn't hear the moaning, he cocked his weapon and yelled "Come on out!"

A very tall man in a Colonial jacket emerged from behind the building, followed by two black women, one in cargo shorts and a tank, another in tight jeans and a t-shirt and flanked by an Asian man in a Sheriff's shirt. He laughed a little at the brown uniform shirt that reminded him so much of Rick when they'd first met. He always wondered why he wore his uniform, but understood the desire to retain a part of who he was.

"Looks like you're outnumbered." said the tiny black woman with cocoa colored skin flanked with gold.

"Don't think so." came the voice of Rosita who had gotten behind the group that was now sandwiched between her and Glenn.

"I'd say you're still outnumbered." came the voice of the black woman who Glenn had deduced was the leader of this group.

"Why don't we just go our separate ways." she followed, "We have somewhere to be."

A gasp from behind him caused Glenn to divert his attention to Michonne who had her katana ready. She glanced over the leader in something like recognition. He'd never seen her look so, lost, like she'd seen a ghost. When she came into view the black woman who had been speaking lowered her weapon and smiled. Glenn saw her eyes glistening with tears and he watched as she ran towards Michonne who was already taking long strides towards her. The other members of the woman's group lowered their weapons and watched as the two women embraced each other and cried. The tall white guy's face of consternation giving away that he'd never seen his leader do anything like this before. A gentle tug at his lips, a ghost of a smile played on his face. The caramel colored woman shook her head as she watched the two women, she'd seen that face before, mostly in pictures and a couple times in person and felt a little pang of jealousy as he recognized who was in front of her.

"Michonne." Glenn called, waiting for his friend and confident to collect her bearings.

"Glenn." Michonne said through soft sighs and an almost cute post cry hiccup "It's ok. They're ok." she remarked. Rosita, who had moved from behind the group stood by Glenn, waiting for an explanation.

"Lieutenant" Crane began, causing Rostia and Glenn to quirk eyebrows in question. They weren't expecting the tall white guy to sound so British.

"It's ok Crane. They're ok. They're Michonne's people." Abbie said, taking a step back to admire the woman who had been in her arms moments before. Abbie and Crane just stood there staring at one another while everyone waited for an explanation.

"Whose Michonne?" Andy asked, finally breaking the silence.

"I am." Michonne said, taking a step towards Abbie's group and introducing herself, Glenn and Rosita.

"What are you doing here Abbie?" Michonne asked. Glenn had been watching how the others in her group responded. They seemed like nice people, but people weren't always what they seemed in this world.

"We were headed to DC." Abbie said. Glenn gave Michonne and Rosita a knowing look.

"There's nothing left." he said, causing Abbie's face to turn in disappointment. She almost looked despondent at the revelation.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "If you're looking for a cure, there's nothing left. The government is gone, and we don't know the state of the city. It's probably like Atlanta, gone." Glenn said.

"Long story" Michonne offered. "Do you have a camp?" Michonne then asked, watching Glenn and Rostia who shrugged. They weren't sure how it worked with non-scouts bringing people back to Alexandra, but they'd try for Michonne.

"No, we've been traveling for months to get here. We don't have anywhere to stay." Abbie said truthfully.

"We can bring you back with us. We have a community. Not sure if you'd want to stay, but you can at least rest up a couple days. There is an interview process, but if you're just passing through it should be ok." Michonne said, making a lot of assumptions about the state of the safe zone and it's leader Deanna.

Glenn watched Abbie talk to her companions before giving them a nog of approval. Names were exchanged, as the four loaded in the van with Glenn, Rosita, and Michonne. Glenn drove while Michonne sat in the passenger seat.

"You sure this is a good idea?" Glenn asked Michonne, trusting her instincts completely but having to ask the question anyway.

"Yes Glenn, I do. Abbie was my best friend from college. She was a sister to me in so many ways. I never thought I'd see her again." Michonne said, a stray tear sliding down her cheek. Glenn wondered if it was for the life she'd had or for the person who she never thought she'd see again.

"Plus, she's a cop, and her friends seem to be capable. More capable than the residents." she offered.

"Do you think Deanna will be worried about another large group coming in?" Glenn asked. The surprised look on her face told him she hadn't thought about that, what it would mean to bring four more people into the fray, but it was Abbie, and she couldn't leave her out there.

"We won't know til we get there Glenn. I'll handle it." Michonne said.

Driving up to the gates, Glenn waited to be let in. Nicolas opened and let the car in.

"Will you get Deanna?" he asked the person who had been a coward and tried to kill him.

"Why?" Nicolas asked, challenging his request.

"Because, you putha, we brought people." Rosita interjected, staring him down. She'd had enough of weak mouseface and didn't want anymore bullshit at this point. Nicolas went towards Deanna's while the four newcomers looked on at the large McMansions. Their looks of awe as people milled about as though there were other dead humans eating each other was somewhat funny to Glenn. He'd remembered feeling the same way.

"Yeah. It's not real." he said to the group, causing them to nod in understanding.

"Deanna, will take care of you. I'm gonna drop off the supplies with Rosita." Glenn said "Welcome to Alexandria."

XX

A/D: Hey friends, So I've been working on this story for a minute and it's something I've wanted to do for a while now. I absolutely adore Michonne, she's really one of the few characters in any scifi/fantasy shows that I can really *see* myself in. I also adore Abbie Mills, and find that the two of them have a lot of similarities, strong, powerful, complicated and loving women thrust in really shitty situations, who grace us with so much life. Anyway, this story is really about their friendship. Set in the Walking Dead Universe with some Sleepy Hollow elements, mostly season 1 (cuz I couldn't really be down with how Abbie was treated in later seasons, so it's definitely AU and cannon divergent). I'm making a lot of this up (obvi, cuz fan fic) so lot of folks will be OOC and things are gonna be weird. Just trust that I won't lead you astray!


	2. Chapter 2 Safe Zone

**Then: March 2008**

"Just take a bite" Michonne said, reaching across the table with her chopsticks. The thin sliced mackerel poised firmly in front of Abbie's face. Shaking her head 'no', Michonne signed at her friends refusal.

"Come _on_ Abbie, trust me!" she said, knowing that since they'd roomed together over the last four semesters, Michonne has gotten Abbie to try a number of cuisines she'd enjoyed.

"You liked the tuna. Do you trust me Gabbie Abbie?" goading her friend, aiming for compliance. Watching Abbie's face contort from disgust into a sign of resignation, Michonne moved the piece of fish closer until Abbie leaned in and took it into her mouth. Chewing a bit hesitantly, Abbie's taste buds registered the saltiness of the fish, her eyes widening in hesitant enjoyment. Ok, it wasn't all that bad.

Finishing her bite, Michonne continued to talk about her summer plans while Abbie picked up another piece of sushi, the California roll a safe choice on the place of elaborate rolls and perfectly decorated raw pieces on shaved rashish.

"So I'm thinking of doing the whole 'Great American cross country trip' with Ian." Michonne said. Abbie sniggered a bit at the thought of Michonne, the queen of prissiness driving in a car across the country and sleeping in tents and motels.

"You know you can't shower twice a day if you're driving 14 hours." Abbie said to which Michonne scowled and gave her the most severe eye-roll.

"Plus, isn't Ian ' _so last semester'_ as you put it?" Abbie was pushing it, but she knew her friend, she was definitely spending half her summer interning at some bougie art gallery and the other half traipsing through Europe with her Daddy, who was some big investment banker type.

"We made up. He's studying the history of _The Green Book_ and wants to show me how things were during harder times for us black folks." Michonne said. She was smitten with Ian, the firmly build and gentle copper colored rising senior. He was in that militant black power stage of his collegiate experience and was all about Afrocentrism, it bordered in hotepdom, but the girl was in deep. Michonne liked that about him, as a staunch feminist in high school and the President of her BSO.

"Ian is bougie, _and_ he's a pig Michie." Abbie said Abbie had dealt with the so called 'woke' brotha a few times and found him insufferable. He'd always be talking about the 'white devil' like he read _The Autobiography of Malcolm X_ over the summer. "Wait, weren't you suppose to go summer in Geneva with Papa?" Abbie remarked putting on a horrible posh British accent.

Michonne signed. "My _Daddy_ can't go, he's going to Croatia for work." Of course, Abbie thought. Here she was planning to return back to Sleepy Hollow to work as a secretary for Corbin before heading back to school in the fall. No grand trips across the country or the world for that matter. Just summer job back in her hometown.

Michonne sensing Abbie's despondency as she rattled on about her Daddy's plans to jet set and her summer being carefree, yet educational, looked down a bit guiltily. It was moments like this when the stark realization that her life was so different from her dear friends. An idea popped up in her head before she had the time to flush out anything.

"Come home with me for a couple weeks." Michonne said out of left field. She knew Abbie had to get back home and work for part of the summer, but she deserved a break. Abbie was one of the hardest working people Michonne had ever met, she wanted to share some time to relax with her.

Abbie stared at the face of her best friend and thought before hesitating "I don't know.." but Michonne cut her off "Abigail, just two weeks. My Daddy owes me for canceling our trip and I'd rather spend my time with you over Ian, even if he's putting it down right now." Michonne said with mirth.

Abbie was surprised, but knew that Michonne wasn't going to let it go. Michonne made up her mind about a situation and that was it, she didn't really care if you weren't going to do it at first, in the end, she got what she wanted.

"Ok. But only for a week." Abbie said.

"Two" Michonne pushed, smiling, her dazzling teeth peaking through her heart shaped lips.

"10 days" Abbie countered. "Why play games Mills. You're coming for two weeks." Michonne said, taking a sip of her green tea and slumping in her chair as if waiting for a client to make a decision.

Decision made; two weeks it was, and those were some of the best two weeks of Abbie's life.

 **Now: Alexandria**

Michonne strolled into the home she'd been living in for the past month. She'd wondered if it had been that long, since coming to Alexandria. Time didn't matter at this point, you were either alive, or dead and reanimated, so months, days, they were just things to remind you that you were still here. After being offered the constable position, she'd turned it down. It didn't feel like her, not that she knew what _she_ actually felt like anymore, but she knew she'd rather be on runs, out there and not playing cop with Rick who had taken to his job like a duck to water; that is except for the whole trying to take the place over by force thing. After he'd killed Pete and Reg, may his soul rest in paradise, had been murdered by that tall blonde asshole, Michonne took a huge step back. She'd wanted this place, no, needed this place for herself but also for Carl and Judith. They had to get off the road, but this _place_ was taking a toll on her. It reminded her of her family, the life she'd lived in so many ways. It reminded her of being a prissy debutant who got bi-weekly pedicures and went to the salon to get her hair retwisted. It reminded her that she was a woman who enjoyed things like ladies nights drinking wine and going to art galleries, even if the work was pedestrian.

Standing in the kitchen with her thoughts all over the place she heard familiar footsteps enter and stop at the granite island. She smirked when her favorite person stood waiting for her to acknowledge him.

"When did you get back?" Carl asked, the tenure of his voice deepening ever so slightly. He was growing up, and puberty was doing him some good. The short chubby faced brunette she'd met at the prison had grown lanky and slim. His hair curling at the tips like his fathers and gowning long.

"Ten minutes or so ago. Ran into some trouble." she said with a smirk. Carl's face grew confused as to why she was smiling at 'running into trouble', usually that was a bad thing.

"What happened?" he asked, growing concerned.

"I…" she started but was cut off by a knock at the door. "Hold on." she said, before exiting the kitchen and heading to the door.

Carl followed behind her and came face to face with a really pretty black woman. He watched as Michonne gestured for her to come inside, although they could carry their weapons inside now after a lot of cajoling from Team Family, Carl only had his knife. He watched both with awe and suspicion as Michonne and the other woman walked towards their living room.

"Carl." Michonne said, glancing at the young man "Meet Abbie. The trouble I was telling you about before I was rudely interrupted." Michonne said in a teasing manner. She was like that with him, but few others, so to see her act to playful was always a welcomed surprised.

"Hi." Carl said, "Hi Carl. It's nice to meet you." Abbie replied shaking his hand. Carl marveled at the softness of her hands, and how tiny they were. She was really small, he noted, smaller than Rosita who was one of the shorter people in the group.

"We're going to go catch up for a minute. Where's your sister?" she asked, knowing that Judith was likely with Carol at the other house.

"She's with Carol at the other house. I'm on my way to…" he said

"Rons. Yeah, ok. Just be home for dinner. It's your turn to help me." to which the teen nodded and walked out the door after saying goodbye to his friend and her very attractive companion.

Alone for the first time in four years, the two friends just stared at each other for a moment before both starting to speak at the same time.

"Looks like some things never change huh Mich?" Abbie said with a smile. "Looks like Mills." she said, tugging on her M necklace which Abbie had given her as a gift their sophomore year after her other one broke.

"How did it go with Deanna?" Michonne asked, taking a seat on the haset by the widow.

"Fine. She said we could stay for as long as we needed after we explained we were just passing through. Kinda weird that she would let strangers pass through if you ask me." to which Michonne nodded.

"Yeah, she took us all in, and I'm not sure how well that's working out." Michonne said, still a bit on edge at the relatively cool reception she'd received from the residents.

"I would ask how you've been, but I'm not sure that matters tonight." Abbie said, to which Michonne nodded.

"I couldn't agree more. How long do you guys plan to stay here?" Michonne asked, changing the subject.

"A couple days. I'm sure Jenny, Andy, and Crane could use some rest. We'll leave for Washington in three or four days. Maybe stop by on the way back." Abbie said.

"So I get to keep you for a whopping four days?" Michonne said with the same sarcasm of her early adulthood.

"Girl, you know I'm never one to stay." Abbie said to which Michonne laughed. It was a genuine one. "You were always sneaking off first year to be with Robert." she said

"His name was Ronald, and no. I just told you that, so you'd leave me alone. I was just out looking at the city aimlessly." Abbie admitted.

"I was so jealous! I thought all that time you were gettin some, and there you were being a vagabond! Mills, you wound me." Michonne said, clutching her chest in faux hurt.

"Mich, you know you were always out at functions sucking up to those art snobs. I couldn't stand going to any more gallery events with you." Abbie said, smiling a sad smile.

"If you'd have _told_ me, I would have taken you to all the frat parties you'd wanted. You could have done keg stands and 'bro'd down' with all your people." Michonne said.

"You calling me a bro Michie?" Abbie said, calling her the nickname she absolutely hated in college.

"Yes Gabby Abbie, I am! and, I have a sharp object, so you watch that Michie shit." Michonne said to which Abbie raised her hand in surrender.

A beat passed before Michonne asked "Where are your people?"

"Deanna is letting us stay in one of the town houses a couple streets over. They all wanted to take showers, princess." she said with a smirk at Michonne.

"I'll have you know that I only shower once a day now! The apocalypse will do that to you."

"I bet you're still brushing your teeth like they're about to fall out tho." Abbie said, watching a full smile cross her face. "Gotta stay pretty." she remarked, shining her pearly white and perfectly straight teeth. "How do you think I got so many dates Abbie?"

"Dates Michonne! I thought it was offering to give them the time of their life you wild woman."

Michonne gasped and threw the pillow at Abbie's head. Ducking, the other woman suddenly got up from the couch and grabbed a pillow to retaliate. The carefree moment of two old friends chucking pillows at one another like teenage girls was interrupted by a throat being cleared in the doorway. There, in his constable uniform stood one Rick Grimes in shock. He'd never seen Michonne look so… happy before. Her hair was all over her face and her clothes were a bit disheveled, but the smile that graced her lips was one he'd never seen. It made her look younger, not that he knew how old she was.

"Uh, hi" Michonne squeaked, another first. Was she blushing? Her high cheekbones rising with a rose tint that made her look cherubic. Clearing her throat, Michonne pointed at the other woman who was standing awkwardly behind the couch with a pillow in her hand.

"This is Abbie." Michonne managed to get out while swiftly walking towards her friend and placing a protective and affirming hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry about that. Michie and I got carried away." Abbie said while Michonne groaned near her.

"Michie huh?" Grimes asked, with a quirked eyebrow glancing at Michonne who graced him with her signature scowl. Rick had been acting weird for weeks, and was still on edge which the other woman walked towards him and offered a hand. The carefree moment lost at his suspicions emerged.

"I'm Abbie Mills. My group and I were picked up by Michonne, Glenn, and Rosita today. We're passing through." she said, watching the man take her in before deciding to give her hand a rather firm handshake, to which she reciprocated. She may be small, but she was still a boss.

"Rick Grimes. Deanna told me she interviewed some new people." he said, letting their introductions come to an abrupt end. The awkward silence continued for a full 30 seconds before Michonne interjected.

"Abbie, why don't you invite your group to the house for dinner. I'm sure our constable here would like to meet your group."

"You a cop?" Abbie asked, putting together a lot of things about the man in front of her, the suspicious stare, the stance, his authoritative presence.

"Costable. Was a Deputy Sheriff." Rick drawled and Abbie smirked at the accent. "Not from Virginia?" she followed. "No, you?" he countered.

"Ok officer's." Michonne said, realizing they were playing 20 questions, cop edition. Before Rick could ask, Abbie divulged.

"I was a cop, Lieutenant. My partner, Andy who is in my group was also a cop." to which Rick nodded.

"Alright. Well, if Michonne is having y'all for dinner, I'll see you later." he said before walking up the stairs and out of the way.

"He's something." Abbie said. "He's going through some stuff." Michonne offered with a sympathetic sigh.

"Yeah, it's hard to miss the 'I'm gonna kill you' glare he throws." Abbie said. "He's a good man Abbie." Michonne said.

"I trust you Michonne." Abbie said, taking her time to walk to the door and leave for the afternoon.

* * *

Dinner turned out to be relatively painless for all of the guests. Abbie got to meet Carol, Sasha, Tara, Eugene, Maggie, and Abraham, whom she found funny as hell. Crane was not so impressed with the crass redhead. Jenny eyed the tall man with interest, and Andy was content talking to the group sparingly. Rick sat quietly observing the newcomers with a mixture of interest ann mistrust. He didn't know why he felt they weren't telling the whole story, but his spidey senses were tingling as Abbie explained that they planned to go to Washington DC to recover an artifact. A rib about DC being a popular place for 'cures' was made by Glenn, to which Eugene turned a beet red, and Abraham shook his head in annoyance.

Throughout the evening, Michonne was found flitting around, something so out of character it surprised everyone, including herself. Seeing a piece of her past in the flesh had her feeling almost light for the first time in years. She even cracked a few jokes at Abbie's expense, causing the tiny woman to retort. Although Jenny was happy for her sister, the memory of Abbie leaving her while she learned from Corbin, and floated in and out of institutions was a bitter one. Abbie had been the lucky one, and it showed clearly at the way she talked with her best friend from college.

"I must declare Miss Michonne, your culinary skills are a divine feat in these arduous times." Crane remarked as Michonne sat holding a dozing Judith. The common sight of her holding the baby one very foreign to Abbie.

"Thank you Crane. If you're half as impressed by my cooking you should come by when it's Carol's turn." Michonne said with a small smile.

"You may call me Ichabod, if it please you Miss Michonne." Crane said to Michonne, who nodded an affirmative. If Abbie didn't know any better she would think that Crane was being forward with her friend. Shrugging, she went to speak with Jenny and Abraham.

That night, after saying their goodbyes, Abbie's group went to their home. Michonne had put Judith to bed, and her and Carl sat around the kitchen table talking about the group.

"They seem cool. Andy's a little quiet and Crane is a little weird. He has a weird accent. Jenny's a badass! And Abbie seems nice." he said with a smirk. Michonne poked at him, "Do you have a crush on my friend?" she asked as he hid his face with his hands.

"No, she's just cool. She reminds me of you, a little." Carl offered.

"Well she's far too old for you sir, and I'll have you know that I'm way cooler than Mills." Michonne said.

"You do have a sword. So…" he said, giving her the praise she wanted. Michonne and Carl were finishing up their conversation when the front door opened and Rick walked into the kitchen.

"You're up late." he said to Carl, to which he excused himself to bed. "Night Michonne." he said, before walking out, with a nod to his father. "Carl?" Rick yelled.

"Yeah?"

"Goodnight Carl." Rick said. "Sure Dad" Carl replied emphasizing the word in a little scowl. Rick was realizing Carl was still upset about the past couple weeks, and wanted to make peace with his son. Sighing, he grabbed some water and stood on the other side of the kitchen island across from Michonne.

"Where were you?" she asked, watching him drink his water slowly. "Went to check on your _friends_ , make sure they got to their house safely." he said, to which she just shrugged.

"You trust them Michonne?" he asked after taking another big swallow.

"Yes Rick, I do." she replied, narrowing her eyes. "Do you trust me?" she asked him.

"With my life." he replied without hesitation. "Then know I wouldn't put our family in danger Rick." she said, to which he just nodded.

"They're hiding something." he replied.

"Guess it takes one to know one Rick." Michonne said, tired of his paranoia of everyone. She thought he was getting better. After they could carry weapons and had worked to get Deanna to have adults train in weapons and hand to hand combat. He still wasn't there, just teetering on the ledge, and it was a lot to deal with. Life on the road was hard enough, now they had a place, a safe place and he was acting like it was going to fall at any minute. And maybe it was, but Michonne had told him that she was done taking breaks. After losing her katana once, and later putting it up on the mantel, she realized she couldn't really fully take it off, but she could give herself respite from the gnawing fear of impending doom that hovered over them. She was trying, and although he said he was, she wasn't sure if it was true.

"Michonne." he said and stopped himself.

"Rick, I'm tired." she said.

"I'm sorry Michonne. It's been hard." he said. "I get that Rick, you know that. But not everyone is trying to kill us. Abbie was my _best friend_ for three years. She was my sister in a lot of ways. So, _yes_ Rick. _I trust her and her people._ " She sighed again, before mumbling a good night and heading to her bedroom. She closed the door and laid in bed for a while in her clothes, just staring at the ceiling. After what felt like hours, but were mere minutes, Michonne went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. She stared at herself in the mirror, and noticed the wariness on her face. She was in her late-twenties but felt so tired and aged. She frowned and saw the little lines appear on the sides of her mouth, before quickly disappearing. She glanced at her body and remembered that she use to wear dresses all the time. Standing in her jeans and tank top she was looking at the woman forged through the hardest three years of her life. She ran her hands through her hair, discarding her hair bandana and donning a silk scarf to prepare for bed. (Some things were a must, even in the apocalypse.) Changing into shorts and another tank, she crawled into bed, thinking of her great fortune. Today was a day for the living.

-xx-

A/N: Thanks for giving this story a chance! I'm really enjoying the banter between Michonne and Abbie. Anyway, enjoy the next installment.


	3. Chapter 3 we get to come back

**Departure**

Abbie woke up on the second day of their stay in Alexandria before the sun. Michonne had offered to go for a run with her, to show her around a bit. Everyone else was asleep in the town house. Abbie and Jenny were staying in one apartment while the guys were staying in the other on the first floor, at Crane's insistence. Abbie had offered the run to Jenny who simply laughed at her and told her she'd 'rather lick Icky's yeti sized feet' before she ran without being chased. Michonne had provided a change of clothes and Abbie was surprised to find that they fit rather well. The lycra shorts and tank top sticking to her body in a familiar way. It'd been awhile since she was to exercise for pleasure, without the threat of survival.

Stepping out the front door, Abbie stretched her arms across her chest before doing a couple quick jumps and heading down the street to Michonne's house. Standing on the front steps, stretching her legs, Michonne waited in similar lycra shorts and a purple tank top, the straps of a sports bra showing under the material. Jumping off the porch and heading down the street, the two women started on a slog jog as Michonne showed Abbie the neighborhood.

Forty minutes and a few laps around Alexandria, Michonne and Abbie returned to Michonne's home to get some water and breakfast. The two were stretching on the porch when a grumbling voice caught Abbie out of her stretch.

"Who's this?" a gruff Southern twang said, pointing with his thumb at the new woman. "Real nice Dixon." Michonne said, giving him an unimpressed look.

"Thought I was the recruiter 'Chonne." he said, as Abbie gave him a slow once over. The tall man, was covered in a golden tan, with bare arms and cut off button up black shirt over a leather vest and some rough looking cargo pants that might have been olive green at one point.

"Daryl Dixon, meet my best friend from college Abbie Mills." Michonne said after pursing her lips at his comment.

"Rick tell you about her people?" Michonne asked knowingly. She wasn't surprised that Daryl already knew about Mills and her people, since Rick was a busy body and a gossip.

" 'snice to meet ya." Daryl said, to which Abbie replied affirmatively. After a few moments of quiet where Daryl sat on the steps cleaning his crossbow and Michonne and Abbie did some cool down routines, the two headed into the house.

"Where'd you find all these rude ass white boys Michonne?" Abbie asked as they grabbed water and sat in the dining room.

"Georgia. We met at a prison." Michonne offered.

"Figures. If they weren't fine as hell, I'd take offense to their bad attitudes." Abbie offered causing Michonne to laugh. "Don't act like you didn't notice. I mean, Rick's got that last man on earth vibe, but he's fine. Got a nice face. And Dixon's tall, I'd climb that tree." Abbie said with a smirk.

"Whatever Abbie." Michonne said. "What about your group?"

"What _about_ my group?" Abbie asked, taking a sip of her water. "Crane is nice to look at, and his beard makes him look distinguished. Andy is also fine as hell. You always described him as awkward and goofy in college; looked like he filled out nice." Michonne offered.

Abbie said "Andy is just a friend. He was my awkward Andy for so long, it'd be like making out with my brother." Abbie added.

"What about Crane? I mean _Ichabod_?" Michonne said quirking her eyebrows and using a faux British accent.

"He's still strung up on his sorta dead wife." Abbie said with a shrug.

"What do you mean 'sort of dead' wife?" Michonne asked, watching Abbie tense. "What aren't you telling me Abbie?" Michonne watched Abbie bite at her bottom lip in contemplation, wrestling with a decision. Hell, they were living in a world where dead _people_ came back to life, but demons and the horseman of the apocalypse, that was some next level crazy that Abbie wasn't sure Michonne would believe.

"You promise you won't think I'm crazy?" Abbie asked. Michonne knew about Jenny's issues growing up and also knew that Abbie's mother had been institutionalized because she saw things that weren't there. Michonne was always partial to the supernatural, with her mother who'd grown up in Ghana, West Africa. Her mother would always tell her that there were things in this world that were far more complicated than they seemed. She'd done all the little superstitious things, like throwing salt over her shoulder when it spilled, or not walking under ladders, and all that, but her mother would have dreams that were strange and even would comment on people in her homeland that were prophets or witches. Michonne always approached it with a healthy dose of skepticism, but there was still an underlying belief in the other world, so she nodded at her best friend.

"Abbie, there are dead things coming back to life. At this point, I'd believe anything." Michonne said with conviction and honestly.

"Crane's wife was stuck in between life and death for a couple centuries. She just moved on last year after we came to the conclusion that we couldn't stop the Apocalypse." Abbie said.

"How could you stop the apocalypse Abbie? This was viral warfare." Michonne asked.

Abbie sighed as she decided to lay all her cards on the table with Michonne. She didn't really know if they'd make it back from DC and at this point, so much of her life was uncertain.

"Crane and I are… special. These some ordained from God thing that basically tied us together as Witnesses. We were destined to fight against the forces of darkness to prevent the end times, like book of Revelations type shit." Abbie said, watching Michonne take a swallow of her water. "Anyway, Crane was killed by the horseman of Death over 200 years ago and woke up only three years ago to the end of the world, but not by the hands of demons, it was fucking _people._ All we know, after fighting against actual demons and other evil creatures, that according to Benjamin Franklin's notes and Washington's Bible, that there's a way to maybe stop this." Abbie said, looking down at her hands as she waited for the laugh or scoff to escape her friend, and when none came, she glanced up and was met with watery brown eyes.

"Oh my god Abbie, you're like a real life Buffy the Vampire Slayer!" Michonne said causing her friend to chuckle a bit. After the laughter died down a bit, Michonne looked at Abbie with concern written all over her face "You've been dealing with all of this alone, for years?"

"Yeah, it's why I left college. I had to take care of Jenny after…" she signed at the memory of Corbin's death. She couldn't say his name, not right now. Michonne nodded in understanding, she'd learned all about August Corbin and had even met the man couple times before he died when he'd brought Abbie back to school her first and second year of college. He'd raised Abbie and Jenny, and he was trying to protect them from Abbie's destiny to basically save the world. Without thinking, Michonne moved over to her friend and enveloped her in a tight hug as she shed silent tears. Abbie wasn't a crier, so to see her through any form of grief was a distinct honor and Michonne whispered comforting words into her friends hair. After a few minutes of just holding each other the two stepped away, as the sound of a baby's cried broke them out of their internal musings.

"It's my day to get her." Michonne said, "You wanna help me?" she asked Abbie, who had wiped her eyes and seemed calmer. "Sure. I always imagined you'd be someone's hot mom." Abbie said, as she watched Michonne's face contort in sadness. "You wanna talk about it?" she asked, seeing her friend shake her head 'no' before whispering "Another time."

Abbie had enjoyed getting Judith ready for the day and had even held the baby for a while as Michonne made breakfast. Carl came down moments later, getting the oatmeal and sharing in some small talk with Abbie and Michonne. The front door opens and Carol walks in wearing a cardigan and a smile. Michonne didn't know why Carol was acting so strange in this place, and after finding out about their plans to take over she felt a little put off by her, but she knew Carol just wanted to protect everyone. Sometime though, the lines were hard to see and she felt like Carol was living in this grey zone that she'd never been in before, it scared Michonne to wonder if Carol was taking all the loss so hard. She understood some of what Carol lost, it just wasn't the same, but Carol seemed on the edge of some darkness that was trying to swallow her whole.

"Carol, meet Abbie." Michonne said introducing the two women who ended up having a conversation. Abbie excused herself after finishing her oatmeal, deciding to head back to the house to check on everyone and prepare for their plans to depart in two days.

* * *

A map of the DMV was laid out on the kitchen table as Ichabod drew his long fingers along the quickest route. They'd have to pack for at least a week, assuming that everything went according to plan. After discussing their provisions and necessities, they decided to leave a day early. They wanted this to be done, if there ever was a done to whatever this shit was.

"So we get the scrolls and then what? Right the world?" Andy asked, wondering if this was in fact the right play. "Where do we go after?" he followed, obviously thinking about if they'd have to make the trip back to New York and if they'd make it back alive.

"We come back here." Abbie said. "Deanna said they'd take us in if we came back. Plus we don't know if we have to return to Sleepy Hollow or go somewhere else right away. It'll give us time to regroup."

"The Lieutenant makes another astute observation. It would be wise to return to this hamlet upon the retrieval of the scrolls." Ichabod said.

"Ok, so we go to DC, come back and save the world." Jenny said "Piece of cake."

Abbie watched her companions as they looked through all of the books and notes they'd managed to save from the Archives that might explain the current state of the world. Maybe, just maybe, this thing would have been accounted for since it was human made.

That night, Abbie said on the front steps of the townhouse enjoying the relative quiet of the evening. The faint sounds of biters could be heard followed by a soft whoosh of air, which Abbie assumed was someone taking the threat out. She was busy in her thoughts and didn't notice the person sitting beside her.

"Jesus Jenny! You scared me!" Abbie said as Jenny sat flush against her. It had been a long road but they'd gotten to this point in their relationship. Jenny knew Abbie was scared, but they'd faced much worse before the waking diapers came into the picture.

"You sure about this Abbie? I trust you, but you gotta be sure." Jenny said. They'd done the research, found out everything they could, and all roads led to Washington. It just so happened that they'd found someone important to Abbie, someone that reminded her that she wasn't just some chosen one sacrificing her life for the world.

"It's gotta be done Jenny. So we do it." Abbie said, "Ok, bossy." Jenny replied giving her sister a little nudge. A few beats of silence passed between the two women as Abbie placed her arm around her baby sister. They'd made it through so much, and continued to stand together. It took a lot of trust building, but three years into this bullshit, they'd gotten there, to when they were kids, sisters, best friends again.

"I know I only met Michonne once, but she seems like a real person." Jenny said to which Abbie smiled. "Yeah, she's a real one."

"You really want to come back here after?" Jenny asked, thinking that maybe once all this was over they could go back home, whatever was left of it. "Can't go back Jenny and if we can't fix this, we're gonna have to figure out how to live through this. Alexandria seems like a good enough place to do that, one way or another."

"Let's get some sleep. It's gonna be a long week." Jenny said, taking her hand and walking into the house.

 **Return**

Michonne had taken watch for the evening. It had been three weeks since Abbie and her group had left. The morning of their departure the two friends had shared a tearful goodbye. Maggie and Sasha watched as Michonne wiped her eyes, giving each other a look of surprise. Michonne wasn't a crier, a stoic killer, a kind mother figure for the Grimes kids, but not a vulnerable weeping mess. They offered condolences as the car holding her best friend drove off to an uncertain end. After the first week, Michonne had gone on a couple runs to distract herself, in the hopes of bumping into Abbie again. Things at the house had been alright. Rick seemed to be getting out of his fog and was actually spending time with his kids. He'd also admitted that he was spending time with Jessie Anderson, after she'd caught him coming from her house one evening a few days after Abbie had left. He'd missed dinner and she was patrolling while Carol watched the kids. He almost looked guilty, but Michonne wasn't there to judge him for whatever the hell he was thinking. He'd let that woman cut his hair when they first got here and he seemed comfortable with her. She was his friend and partner, there wasn't anything to be jealous of. She knew Carl and Judith were _hers_ and Jessie had her own kids to worry about. She hadn't contemplated anything romantic in a long time, with Mike gone and the Governor being a creep before she killed him at the end, attention from any romantic prospects were few and far between. Rolling her eyes at herself, she checked the road and noticed a mini-van rolling up closer to the gates. The car came to a stop and the driver got out to Michonne's relief. They'd made it, later than they'd said but they'd made it.

Opening the gates the mini-van entered the Safe Zone and Abbie got out of the driver side throwing herself in Michonne's arms. This was good, the best news she'd gotten since they'd left. The other three got out of the car followed by a fourth person who Michonne never imagined she'd see again.

Michonne cocked her head at the stoic umber toned man with a staff. The last time she'd seen him, he was trying to kill Rick and had turned their home town into a walker trap. He looked much more lucid than the last time, and had a peaceful aura to him.

"Morgan?" Michonne asked to which he nodded. "You're the one who came to my house a wile ago." he said in his gravely southern twang, so different from Rick's, but having a similar simple familiarity.

"Rick?" he asked, "They're here." Michonne said, knowing he'd ask about Carl next,who he'd be surprised to see so grown.

"I'll take you to our house." she said, "You live together?" Morgan asked, surprised. "Yeah, well, things change." she remarked.

After getting Morgan situated in the guest bedroom, while they decided where he would stay in the long term, Michonne went back to her watch to relieve Spencer who had spotted her leaving her station. She thanked him, and continued her evening duty. She was humming a bit off key when the sound of the door took her out of her musings. The steps were unfamiliar but by the sound, the person was small and scrappy.

"Hey!" Michonne said, as Abbie walked up to the viewing ledge looking accomplished. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again." Michonne said with an air of seriousness.

"We got caught up in some trouble scavenging for some food on our way back. Morgan got us out of there, looked like someone had been there a few days prior but had managed to escape alright." Michonne nodded at the information.

"People are more dangerous than the monsters sometimes. We'll tell the others first thing." Michonne said.

"Yeah. Well, Morgan came through and we found what we were looking for, just not the answers we wanted." Abbie added. "You wanna talk about it?" Michonne asked.

"Not tonight. I'm tired, and I've almost died too many times over the last month for me to even think about how many more years of this shit's to come." Abbie said, giving Michonne a little bit of the story. Michonne nodded her head, and watched her friend smile a little.

"Any good gossip?" she asked, wanting a distraction from all the blood, guts, and gore of the last few weeks.

"Well Abe, giant redhead with the mustache who you met, moved out of his house with Rosita. Gotta say, I didn't see that coming so soon." Michonne said. She knew Abbie didn't really know anyone that well, but gossip was something to take a moment from the mess that was life filled with walkers, and hunger, and scary people trying to kill you.

"Oh snap! What else, please indulge me."

"Deanna is contemplating expanding the place, getting us to farm and work on sustaining ourselves. And she's basically given over governance of this place over to Maggie, Rick, and me, even though I'm not a politician."

"Michie, you've gotten me to do things I've hated, so you'll be great." Abbie interjected.

"Beyond that, I'm probably going to move out soon as Rick and Jessie get married." she said, somewhat sarcastically.

"Wait, what? What the fuck is a Jessie?" Abbie asked as Michonne giggled at her friend.

"You remember the white girl, owl tattoo, blonde with the two kids you met the first day you were here? She gave you the welcome basket?" Abbie's mind was drawing a blank.

"Oh my god Abbie, she literally talked to you for 10 minutes telling you about the pantry!"

"I swear I'm not being petty on your behalf. I don't remember her. She's like Anne in Arrested Development." Abbie said, "Anne?" Michonne said knowingly "You know Dad, my girlfriend Anne." to which the two friends burst out laughing. "Anyway, Anne and Rick are seeing each other according to Johnny Castle himself." Abbie shook her head.

"You knew you can always stay with me and Jenny." Abbie offered. "It'll be like a post-apocalypse Living Single." to which Michonne cackled, loudly "Sush! I'll think about it. Sasha and Maggie already offered, so we will see."

"It's like that tho? You're really gonna leave those kids?" Abbie asked.

"You just got back. It's been a long and weird few weeks. Rick's acting like he's Deputy Grimes again, and I'm not the one to burst his bubble about the life that he lost. After his wife died, he was pretty broken according to Maggie. I got there a day or days after it happened. He's my friend, my partner, but we've never done the song and dance, not for lack of interest on my part. I think he just sees me as like this stoic killing machine with a great ass." to which Abbie nodded.

"Ain't it like that! These hot old ass white guys and chasing the ghosts of their dead white wives." Michonne felt a little bad for sniggering at the joke, but Rick had literally been chasing after his dead white wife at the Prison.

"What?" Abbie asked "Rick actually did that, literally." to which Abbie laughed. "Damn, it's rough out here."

"I mean we could just say screw it and like date each other." Abbie suggested "Abbie, remember that time sophomore year when you were convinced that you wanted to be a lesbian… How did that end up?"

"Whatever, it was a good effort." Abbie replied. "We tried to kiss each other and you accidently spit in my face from laughing so hard. Fucking spit Grace Abigail Mills!"

"Michonne Agusta Jarba, give me a break! You wouldn't try again after that." Abbie said. Michonne replied "Serves you right! Whatever, it's the apocalypse, dick is plentiful and highly overvalued."

"Damn right. Nobody puts Baby in the corner." Abbie said, giving her friend a side hug. "I got you a couple things. Come by tomorrow when you get some sleep."

"I will. I'm glad your back Gabby Abbie."

"I missed you too Michie-poo."

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A/N:

Thank you to RedPandasAreCool17 & OtakuuA for reading this tale and your reviews! I have a few chapters I'm editing as we speak and getting things going. Thanks for sticking around and I hope you enjoy this chapter!


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